Automatic firearm.



PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905.

C. FREEMAN, AUTOMATIC PIREARM.

YAPPLIGATION FILED AUGl 15, 1904` No. 802,033.' PATBNTBD OCT. '17,1905,. G. FREEMAN. AUTOMATIC PIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1904.

rnn staatssraannr ermee;

.CHARLES FREEMAmor Los mientas., CALIFORNIA. AUToinA'i-lo Fiaeamu.

No. soeces.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oet. 17, 1905.

Appiimimtid'tugust15.1904. strain. 220,740.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that "l, CHARLES FRnEtmN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the countyofLos Angeles and State ofalifornia, have invented a new and usefulAutomatic Firearm, of which' the foll wing` is a specification.

-Thlsinvention embodies a new principle in automatlc firearms whichconsists in employing a barrel and allowing a de`vice`such, ,for linstance, as the breech-.blockwa short back- I ward primary movementupon thedischarge Y. of the arm, this movement being stopped4 by Thegreat bulk of suitable lo'cking means. the backward thrust from theexplosion in the barrel is solidly opposed by this locking device and'the breech-block. Meanwhile a momentum-block, which. while the parts'are .in their closed and locked position is in intiu .mate contact withthe breech-block, (which, in fact, itl holds in its forward positionthrough pressure exerted by a reaction-spring) receives an impulse fromthe short primary the momentum teLtbus imparted to the momentum-blockbeing `and operate the arm. The

. ablelocking tion of the backward -block forward to close sicient toreciprocate it along the frame, unlock the breech-block, pull itbackward from the breech, compress a reaction-spring, pressure of thereaction-spring. then reverses the movement of the momentum-block, whichthen operates to close the breech and leave the arm in its normal closedposition. As carried out by theform of mechanism shown herein the barrelremains stationary. The initial `force derived from the discharge of thecartridge gives a slight rearward movement tothe breechblock, whichmovement is checked bya suitdevice engaging both breechblockand frame.Amomentum-blockmounted in contactwith the breech-block receives themomentum of the breech-block and the rnomentumof the breech-block is.transferred to the momentum-block, so that the lattercontinues backwardafter the breech-block is in` terrupteda and this continued .retractionof the momentum-block unlocks the breech-block from the frame and pullsthe breech-block back with the momentum-block, thereby opening thebreech and removing the empty shell. Part of the energy of thereaction-block has in the meantime been expended in compressing therecoil-spring, which at the terminamovement of the momentum-blockreacts-forcing the momentumthe breech and to opcrate the locking deviceand restore the parts to original position. y

' Among Ithe .advantages ot' the principle here employed are these: Itis possible'to use a Acartridge of any desired size in a barrel of anylength and weight, the barrel being immovable and the backwardv thrustof the cartridge being solidly opposed by the lock after justsuliicientback-ward movement has been allowed to give momentum to the momentum--block, which operatcsthe parts. The backward movement is very slight,and the more pow` ert'ul the cartridge employed the shorter will thismovement be required. The barrel being immovable, no return-spring isrequired, therefore no brake to retard its movement and no largeabutmentto stop its backward and forward movement. As only sufii-cient of theforce 'ot' the explosion is employed to operate the parts, the breech isopened and the cartridge ejected without undue force.

The main object of the invention is to cariv out the foregoing principlewith a simple and' effective mechanism;` but I do not contine'myself tothe exact mechanism here employed, but claim all that may` justly scopeotmy invention.

Another object of the invention is to providea novel trigger mechanismfor use in automatic firearms. l

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowingdescription.

'lh'e accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, and referringthereto Figure 1 is 'a vertical longitudinal section through the breechof the firearm, illustrating the principle as applied to a riiie. Fig. 2is a perspective view of the momentum-block, part ot' its stem belngbroken away. Fig. 3

` is a sectional view taken on line X3 X3, Fig.

1. Fig. lisasectional View taken on line-X* X4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is aperspective View ot' the breech-block and locking-pin, showing the twoparts in the relative positions which they comewithin the IOO occupyimmediately preceding the discharge -abutments 111 and 15.

into operative contact with the locking-dog. l'

Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the breecnblock in a similar positionto the preceding and the recoil-block having. moved back sulieientlytounlock the lockingalog from engagement with the frame. Fig. 12 is asimilar view showing the breech-block, locking dog, and momentum -blockat the extremeA rearward position which they have after the discharge. y

1 designates the frame, to which the barrel 2 is rigidly attached. Thelower front part of the frame l is provided with a way 3, while a tubeet is joined to the frame 1 adjacent the way 3, being incased in awooden fore-arm below the barrel. The main portion of the Jframe 1 ischambered to provide a way for the reciprocating rnoveinentoic the partstherein, and the lower partof the frame 1 is chambered to receive amagazine 6, which may be of the common box-magazine type, as shown.

7 designates in general a momentum-block which comprises a forked member8. haring a sten19, the forked portion being slidably mounted within theway 3 and the stein 9'lying within the tube 4. A breech-block 1() isslidably mounted upon the momentum-block, the momentum-block beingchambered to reu ceive the same and having a plate 11,A L-shaped incross-section. (See Figs. 2 and 4.)

The plate 11 is provided with an angular Slot l2, and the momentum-blockhas an offset portion 13, forming oppositely-disposed .A spring-stop 16is provided within the tube l1, and the stem 9 has a head 17, while thecoil compressionspring 18 is interposed between the head 1T and the stop16 and serves to normally hold the mornentumblock in the position shownin Figs. 1 and 9. 1

The breech-block 1.0 is slidably mounted within the plate 11 of themomentum-block, the breech-block being recessed to form shoulders 1,9and 20, which are adapted to respectively engage with abutments 15 and.la to limit the sliding movement in either direction ot the breech-blockrelatively to the inomen tum-block. The breech-block is provided at oneend with a slotted lug 21 and at the 'other end with a slotted lug 22. Alockingdog 2.3 is provided with a iiat shank 24, which is mounted withinthe slotted lugs 21 and 22 and which has an elongated slot 25, whichreceives a pin 2 6 in the slotted lug 21. A short pin 27 projects upfrom, the shank 24: and lies within the angular slot 12 of the momentumblock.

The shank 24 at its forward end is also provided with avcartridge-extraoting hoolrQS. The breech-block 10 is bored centrally toreeeive'v the iiring-pin 29, andv the locking-dog 23 is provided with aslot 3() to receive the firing-pin. yIn the operation of the mechanismthe locking-dog 23 has a lateral movehainmer in position to catch thehammer as ment relatively to the breech-block,` and for scenes thatreason the slot 30 is made eloi'igated. as shown, so that thejiring-pinwill not impede its'lateral movement.

40 designates the hammer. which is pivoted at L11 and operated by theusual spring and has a single cocking-notch 43. Pivot/cd to the trarnejust below the hammer is an auxiliary 'scar L1 and a vregular sear L15.Both sears 'are adapted to consecutively engage the cockingnotcb L13.,the detent of the auX- yiliary sear stft being longer from its v.Fulcrumthan the detent oi Jthe senr 45. i and 8.)

The rear end o1 `the auxiliary scar 4A is provided with a te 4:6, andwhile both sears norr50 mally lic substantially in the same horizontal'plane the toe @t6 of the auxiliary scar efr pro jects below the plane.

L17 designates the trigger` which is provided with an auxiliary pivotedlinger #i8 and with a rigid regular finger 49. The piroted auxil. iarylinger 4:8 is longer than the finger e9, and when the parts are in theposition shown in Fig. Z the auxiliary linger 11S lies directly underthe toe 4.15 of the auxiiiary scar 14, while the finger 9 lies under butslightly below the sear 45. An inclined abutment 50 projects from theframe 1 adjacent to theend of the pivoted linger 1148. A spring 51serves to normally hold the pivoted linger t'under the toe 16. v

In operation when the hammer has been moved backv into the positionshown in Figs'. 1 and l the auxiliary sear '4.4i engages thecocking-notch 43 and retains the liarnnieif'flf. in position. Uponpulling the trigger 47 as?? the iinger 118 rises it presses upon the toe46 and tilts the sear 4A, which releases the hanv mer vwhich movesslightly forward and is caught by the soar 15 after a slightmoyement.Continued pulling on the'trigger., how ever, will quickly bring thejfinger 49 into engagement with the scar 45, so that the latter istilted and the hammer thereby released,K and in the i'neantime asthelinger #18 moves up it is shunted from the toe 16 by the inclinedabutment 50i so that `the sear It willimmediately spring back toposition, with its detent riding against the rounded hub of the (SeeFigs. "l

IoA

II soon as the cocking-noteh again arrives in place, upon the nextbackward movement of the hammer.A As soon as the trigger 17 is ref'leased it returns to its normal position.4 the finger/18 riding down theside of the toe 46, under which it is snapped by the spring'l upon thecompletion of the return movement' of the trigger. Thus thelianiinerisal-Ways caught by the auxiliary sear Ailk-when thrownback.lReferring to Fig. 1, a cart'ridgeis 4shown in place ready to bedischarged andthe hammer is cocked.4 y p Fig. 9 sl'iows thebieecli-bloek, nioin'entumblock, and lockingdog in the positions they IIpfff) IO the-rim ofthe cartridge. By pulling the trigi ger the hammer isreleased, 'and it strikes the have corresponding to the viewin Fig. 1.In this position the locking-dog is in engagement with a locking-notchin the frame, and the breech-block is shown slightly ahead of thelocking-dog, leaving a narrow space 36, the abutment 15 lying closeagainst the shoulder 19, with the cartridge abutting against the end ofthe breech-block, as shown, the cartridgeextracting hookbeing out ofengagement with tiring-pin, which explodes the cartridge. The recoildrives the'breech-block backward, closing the space 36, where it isinterrupted by its coming into contact with 'the locking dog. The partsnow have the position shown in Fig. I Upto this time the locking-dog isstill in engagement with the frame, and thus the backward movement ofthe breech-block is positively arrested; but the momentu m-block underthe impulse derived from the initial recoi-l of the breech-block.continues on backward, and as the angular slot l2 moves' along the pin27 it rocks the locking-dog upon the pin 26 and disengages thelocking-dog from the frame, whereupon the breech-block and locking-dogare both bodily moved backward by the momentum-block to the end of itsrear stroke. The hook 28 on the locking-dog, which catches over the rimlof the cartridge-shell, carries the `shell back also with the parts, anddur-ing this backward movement the rim of the .shell strikes an ejectornot shown) and is ejected in the Well-known manner. Assoon as the parts-xreachthis position, as shown in Fig. 12, the vcartridge is ejectedthrough the side of Nthe frame through the action of a cartridge-stop,

(not shown,) and afresh cartridge from themagazine springs into place.During the rearward movement of the momentum-blockl the spring 18 iscompressed, and at the termi'- nation 'of the rear movement it reactsand drives the momentum-block forward, carrying with -it thebreech-block and locking-pin andthe fresh cartridge.` 1t will beobserved thatV the breech-block and locking-dog do not lag behind thisforward movement of the momentum-block, as lost motion is obviated, forthe reason that the slot 12 cannot slide along the pin 27, as the pin 27is held from lateral movement by reason of the locking-dogbearingagainst the inside face of the frame; but as soon as the locking-dog issufliciently moved forward until its side comes opposite thelocking-notch 35 the front end of the shoulder 32 strikes the frame,ywhich arrests the forward movement of the lockingdog, and the continuedforward movement ofthe momentumblock and breech-block throws thelocking-dog into the locking-notch 35 by reason of the inclined slot 12slidingover the pin QT, and after the locking-dog is seated in thelocking-notch the momentum-block and breech-block havea further slightmovement forward, which' brings the breech-block out of contact with theshoulder of the locking-dog, thus providing for the slight backwardthrust which transmits the recoil energy to the momentum-block,

which operates the arm.

y What I claim is 1. In an automatic firearm, a frame, a barrel mountedon said trame, a breech-block mounted in the frame, a momentum-blockmountedl in the frame, the breech-block having a short primary movementimparted by an explosion in the barrel and a subsequent longer movementderived from the momentum-block, a recoil-springand means forsto p pingthe breech-..

block after the short primary movement, energy derived from the recoilbeing imparted to ,the momentum-block to again actuate the breech-block,'compress the recoil-spring and.

operate the arm.

In an automatic firearm, a frame, a barrel rigidly mounted on saidframe, a breech-block mounted in the-frame, a 'momentum-block mounted inthe frame, the breech-block bavinga short primary movement imparted byan explosion in the barrel and a subsequent` longer movement derivedfrom the momentuxii-block, a recoil-spring. and means for stopping thebreech-block afterthe short primary movement, energy derived from thedischarge being imparted through the-short primary movement of thebreech-block to the momentum-block to release the breech-block and againactuate the breech-block, compress the 'recoil-spring, and-operate thearm.

3. In an automatic firearm a frame, a barrel rigidly7 mounted in saidframe, a breech-block slidably mounted in the frame, a momentumblockslidably mounted inthe frame and in operative contact with thebreech-block, a recoil-spring,and meansfor stopping the breech'- blockafter ashortprimary movement imparted by an explosion in the barrel andimparting energy to the momentum block through the short primary.movement of the breech-block to release the breech-block and retract italong the frame, compress therecoil-spring and operate the arm.

IIO

4. In an automatic firearm, a' frame, a barrel fixed insaid frame, abreech-block having an' interrupted movement slidably mounted in saidframe, a momentum-block mounted in contact with the breech-block andholding the 4breech-block in forward position when said parts are inclosed position and receivinga recoil momentum from the breech-blockupon the discharge of the arm, a spring in operative contact with themomentum-block, a locking-dog in operative 'Contact withV thebreech-block and frame when saidv parts are in locked position andallowinga slight backward movement of the breech-block, saidmomentum-block being provided with means to operate the locking-dog into and out of locked position upon its backward and forward movementsand to reciprocate the breech-block on the frame.

5. In alirearm, aframm abreec-h-bloek slidably mounted in said frame, alocking-dog 'pivoted to said breech-block, and having at its,` forwardend a cartri(ige-extracting hook., and means for reciprocating thebreech-block and causing the hook to engage the cartridge and extractvthe-same. y

6. In an automatic firearm, aframe,abreeehbioek sll'dably moun ted 1neald frame, a hammer havinga cooking-notch -i'iivotally mounted 1n saidframe, two sears of unequal lengthv -forwardly pivotally mounted in saidframe so as to engage Separately the notch on the f hammer,v a triggerpivoted to said frame and havingl an extension formed thereon in thepath of the shortest sear, and a member pivoteel thereon 'and yieldinglyheld in thepath of the longer Sear, an inclined abutment-on vthe frameto throw. the movable member on the trigger outof engagement with thelonger Sear, and' means for cooking' the hammer and allowing the searsto consecutively engage the notch in the hammer upon the trigger beingpulled.

7. In an automatic firearm', a frame, a barrel mounted in said frame, abreech-block mounted in said frame, a momentum-block mounted in saidframe in operative Contact witlisa'id. breech-block, the breeeli-bloehyhaving a short primary movement imparted by an explosion inthe barreland a longer secondary move- 4block mounted in said frame and receiving4suteoaoae ieient energy from the short primary movement of thebreech-block to unlock the breech-- bloeln impart to it the longerseeondary movement thus opening the breech of the arm and yoperating theother parts of the mechanism.

9. In an aulomatictirearm, aframeabarrel mounted on the frame, abreech-block mounted in the frame, means for stopping the breechblockafter it has been moved back a delinite distance by an explosion, andadeviee coperating with the breech-block and receiving movementtherefrom to release the breechblock and carry it farther backward andoperate the arm.

10. In an automatic firearm, a frame, a barrel mounted on the frame, abreech-block mounted in the frame and movablebaekivard by successivesteps, the movementi of the' breech-block through the first step beingaccomplished bythe explosion, and means de riving energy from thebreech-block during its first step for moving backward and for pullingthe breech-block therewith through its next step.

11. In an automaticiirearm, a frame, a barrel mountedjon th'e frame, a'breech-block mounted 1n the frame' and movable through consecutivesteps` means normally locked for vstopping the breech-block at the endof its tiret step which is caused by the explosion, and a devicederiving energy from the breechblocl; as 1t moves through the sald iirststep for unlocking said means, thereby releasing eaid-breech-bloek, andfor moving the breechblock through its said second step and operatingthe arm.

'In testimony whereof I have hereunto set day of August, 1904:.

CHARLES In presence of` GEORGE T. HACKLEY, ARTHUR P.V KNGHT.'

FREEMAN.

'my hand, at Los Angeles, California, this 4th

